Article handling apparatus



July 23, 1946. i 1-; RQLKER I 2 494 460 ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 swam tom I zdwin Bearer.

July 23, 1946. E. ROLKER 2,404,460 f ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS I Filed'Jan. 15, 1945 5 sheets-Shea 2 July 23, 1946.

E. ROLKER ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 15, 1943 v July 23, 1946. E. ROLKER ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed-Jan. 15, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 23, 1946 ARTICLEHANDLING APPARATUS Edwin .Ro'lker, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Crown Cork.& Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation "of New York Application January 15, 1943, SerialNo. 472,505

16 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to articleha'ndling apparatus.

An important object of the invention is to provide a conveyor which will grip articles to support them in every possible position which the conveyor may assume.

It is necessary in numerous plants to move articles upon the upper run of a conveyor, then around the end of .that run and along a lower run. Heretofore, this has "been accomplished by means of a conveyor equipped with drags or pockets and having its ends and lower run enclosed by a frame .orother form of casing which holds the articles against dropping, the drags or pockets being relied upon to advance the articles. However, unless the drags or pockets ar of a form to exactly fit about each article, and the. casing is so shaped as to closelyengageeach article, such an arrangement cannot be relied upon to firmly hold the articles in adefinite position with respect to the conveyor. Obviously, if the drags r pockets and casing are designed to closely engage a particular article, the structure cannot be used for articles of other shapes or sizes. Furthermore, whenever a stationary casing element is relied upon to hold an article upon or against a conveyor, regardless of whether the article is held in a definite position, the article must be dragged along the stationary casing. If the article is of a type which would be damaged by any scratching which might result from this dragging, a casing arrangement is altogether undesirable.

In some instances, articles are held in a desired position with respect to aconveyor by having the article simultaneously engaged by the opposed run of a second conveyor. Such an arrangement is not economical of either space or cost and, in addition, cannot be readily adjusted to handle article of difierent types and sizes.

Another object of the invention to. provide a conveyor which will grip articles and move them in any position without their being scratched or otherwise marred.

A further object is to provide .an article gripping means which will firmly holdarticles of numerous sizes and shapes upon conveyors without the necessity of any adjustment of the conveyor or gripping means. v

It is necessary in some plants to move articles vertically, for example, from one floor to another. The arrangements ordinarily used for this purpose comprise a conveyor of the drag type to lift the articles. In order to move the articles. downwardly, either a second drag tim v conveyor is provided or the articles are moved downwardly along a chute. If two drae conveyors are used, space requirements and costs are increased and the same is true if a lifting type drag conveyor and a chute are used; 7 In addition, if a chute is used there is the possibility of scratching the articles.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor of such design that one run thereof may be used for lifting articles while the other run may-be used for moving articles downwardly,

The conveyor of the present invention is so constructed that articles can be placed thereon and moved upwardly on one run and then brought downwardly along a return run. In addition, its construction is such thatif an operation is to be performed upon the article at any point along the travel of the conveyor, the article can be removed from the conveyor and moved to the machine which is to operate thereon, for example, a machine to fill a container article, and then the article can be returned to the conveyor and carried to a further point or returned to the point of origin.

In accordance with the above, a further object of the invention is to provide a means for operating the gripping devices of an article ipping conveyor and which operating means can be positioned at any point along the path of travel of the conveyor to operate the gripping devices to either article gripping or article releasing'position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gripper operating means which is of such form that it will not impede the operation of the conveyor element and wherein the conveyor and gripper operating means are of such construction that neither can be brokenby the contact of one with the other.

The gripper operating means included in the present invention and the grippers carried by the conveyor are of such design that no parts thereof have a sharp or sudden impact with each other. The invention thereby avoids objections to the use of gripping devices operated by impact with a fixed trip. The gripper operating means of the present invention moves with the conveyor element so that the operating means and the conveyor element cannot have any sudden contact with each other. It will be noted that the gripper operating means need only extend along theportion of the conveyor element path at which the gripping elements areto be operated. That is,

the gripper operating means need not be coextensive with the conveyor element.

Another object of the invention is to providean arrangement whereby an article delivering or removing mechanism may be maintained in synchronism with a conveyor regardless of the position of such mechanism with respect t the point from which the conveyor is driven.

Whenever articles are to be placed upon an article gripping conveyor or any conveyor profilled and then take such action as'is necessary vided with definitely located article supports, it

is necessary that the articl feeding mechanism be operated in exact synchronism with the conveyor. the conveyor and the article feeding mechanism This is usually accomplished by driving from a common source of power. Some diflicul I ties may arise from such an arrangement if the feeding mechanism is positioned at a point along the path of travel of the conveyor which is distant from the source of power, since any stretching of the conveyor may cause the feedingmech-; anism to be out of synchronism. However, this can usually be adjusted for if the feedin mechanism is to be always maintained'at the same point with respect to the conveyor.

The present invention contemplates that the;

feeding device may be positioned at any desired point along the course of the conveyor inaccordancewiththerequirements of the plant in which; the apparatus 'ispositioned and some of these points may beat a substantial distance from the. driving point for the conveyor. For this reason. the invention includes a driving connection between an article feeding means and a conveyorwhereby the former can be driven from an adjacent portionofthe conveyon By this arrange-.

ment, the feeding mechanism will be positively maintained in synchronism with'the adjacent, portion of the conveyor once the article feeding device is installed. In addition, the necessity of extensiveshafting to drive an article feeding means'from adistant source of power is eliminated.

It willbeunderstood that while the above object and structure has been discussed in-connec tion with article feeding means, it is likewise applicable to articleremoving means or other devices to be synchronizedwith a conveyor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drive connection between a conveyor element and an article delivering or-removing means which 7 will cause the apparatus" to be stopped in the event that articles become jammed at the delivery or removing points. 1

The above-mentioned stopping mechanism ineludes an arrangement to disengage the drive between the conveyor and the article delivering and removing means before damage can occur from a jammed article. The invention includes a'readily operable mechanism to enable the drive to again be synchronized.

'A still further object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide an arrangement includingthe conveyor of the present invention which will enable containers to be washed and drained.

In the filling of metal containers it is highly desirable that the containers be washed before 1 they are filled, just as is the case with glass containers. Glass containers are always washed and then inspected for foreign matter before they are facturing plant and the filling plant. Since the 1 filled. While metal containers are always new material, dust or other foreign material may settle therein during shipment between the manu- 7 A further object of the present invention is the provision of a conveyor structure whereby articles can be maintained in spaced relation to each other. v

A still further object is the provision of a conveyor which will move articles in exactly spaced relation and which is capable of handling articles. of different sizes and shapes.

. It is frequently desirable to move articles on a conveyor in exactly spaced relation and a conveyor which will grip articles is particularly efiicient for this purpose, since the articles canbe moved through anyv plane without varying their spacing. ,However, onedifiiculty of article grip-- ping conveyors is that theywill handle an article of but one size orshape. As has been stated above, the conveyor structureof the present invention is of such design that it will handle numerous size or shapes of articles and maintain all of them on spaced centers without any adjustfixed point. The'conveyor of the present invention can also be used to move articles to a desiredtransfer point in spaced relation. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure '1 is a front elevation of the apparatus of the invention. Figure 2 is a top plan View of a portion ofzthe apparatus. Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing. an article gripping device in front elevation.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of an article gripping device. r

Figure 5 is a detail perspective showing one gripper of a gripping device. 1

Figure 6 is a sideview of a gripping deviceshowing the mannerin'which it is supported and guided. v r I Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view on the line of Figure 3 but showing the gripping device operated to opened-position. i

'' Figure 8 is a vertical sectional View on the line 88 of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 8 but with the gripping devices omitted.

- Figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line I0I0 of Figure 2, and

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view on the line ll--ll of Figure 10.

As has been stated above, the conveyor of the present invention may be used to move articles to and from various points in a plant and may alsobe used to move articles while upright, invert them, and then restore them to upright position.

ones-goo I saltwater 1130; drain therefrom. and finally restores them to uprlght positionr i It: is-thought: that the description of the constructionof the apparatus-in useforaietting and draining operation will also make clear how the conveyor :canbe used for, other purposes The apparatus of the present invention. and its operation may be; generally described as fol-lows: Referr'mg to Figure 2, containers, or other articles C to behandled on the gripping conveyor or. element '20 of the invention. are moved toward con-- veyor upon a straight line conveyor 2|. A timing device 22 of spiral form places the incoming containers in pockets of an infeed dial 23 which rotates in time with the-gripping conveyor 20. The gripping conveyor 20' is formed of a link. chain whiclnasbest shown in Figures 3 to 7, has aiseries ot grippin-g'devices. 24 secured thereto. Each gripping device may be generally described as comprisinga backing plate25 secured to a link of chain 21], the plate '25 standing against a lateral face .of the link. Each backing plate 25 carries a pairof movable plates 26 on its outer face, the plates 26 being normally held flat against backing plate '25 by springs: or other resilient elements generally indicated by the numeral 21. Each movable plate 26 carries oneor more forwardly projecting gripping arms 28which are bent toward each other, as shown in Figure 4.

As: is best illustrated inFi-gure 2, a gripping device operating chain or element 2.9 extendsalongside a portion. of. a run of gripper conveyor 20', operating element 29 :moving in a plane at right angles to the plane in which the gripping conveyor 2|]v moves. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, as is best ShOWn in Figure 2, the gripping conveyor 20 lies and moves in a vertical plane, while the gripper operating element 29 lies and moves in. a horizontal plane. 'The operating element 29 carries lugs 311' which, as best shown in Figure '7, are adapted to move through apertures in the backing plates 25 of the gripping conveyor 2.0 toswing the; movable plates 25. apart and thereby spread the gripping arms v2Z8. Figure. '2 illustrates how the gripping arms 28 of the gripping device will be held openby lugs 39 of operating element 29 at a point opposite the infeed dial 23. The same figure also illustrates how the gripping-arms 28 will be moved toward each other by the. springs 21 to grip a container C immediately after a gripping device has moved away from the operating element 29.

As indicated above, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, after upright containers-C are received by the gripping conveyor 20, the latter moves the containers to'the right in Figure 1 and beneath a jetting device designated by the numeral 3|. The jetting device 3| includes .a plurality of nozzles respectively adapted to move into alignment with. the mouth of a can or other container to partially fill the latter with water. Aitera can has received water the gripping conveyor 20. will turn the can upside down so that the water will-drop from. thecQntainer. In. this (ill . 6 way, dust or other foreign matter L-within ",aI-QBM maybe washed out beiore the can is filled;

The can will move along. :the. bottomrun. of gripping conveyor .20 so as to thoroughly drain and "will then-be turned uprightjas shownatithe left :of Figure 1:. The gripping device 24-will then. move adjacent the gripper operating element 129 which will opendevice 24'so that the container-will be free forremoval .by the -outfeed dial. 32'. The latter will replace the clon-v tainer on straight-line conveyor 21:.

In more detail, when the conveyor: of the invention is used witha jetting device, the supporting or base portion oiqthe. .apparatusrwillinclude a series of standards. 401 (Figure I) "which the shafts 43- driven by a motor through con nections not shown, and the other shaft '43 is an. idler. "The sprockets 44 carry the gripping conveyor or element 29 formed of a plurality of links 4.5. As isindicated Figure 9 certain of the. links; equi-distantlyl; spaced, are: pivotally joined by pins or studs 4.6 which, as'nshown: in"

Figure '6, secure the backing plates'25 :ofthe gripping devices 24 to the gripping conveyor '20.

Figure 3 shows a backing plate 25in frontele' vation' and it will be observed from this view that the plate is of generallyrectangular formation but may have its corners bevelled as indicated at 4'! so that it may readily enter between upper and. lower grooved guides 48'. suit.-

ably supported upon the baseportion. of the: ma

chine. The grooved guides 48 are ordinarily only provided along such portion of the run oi conveyor 20 as moves opposite the gripper operating chain 259. That is, the purpose of the guides 48 is simply to hold the gripping elements. 24 in the desired plane while they are being operated by the operating chain 29. As indicated in Figures 2 and 8, a supportingplate 49 is provided beneath the portion of the run of gripping conveyor 29 at which articles are presented to or removed from the gripping devices. For example, in the present embodiment, the supporting plate 49: extends beneath the infeed. and outfeed dials 23 and 32 to support containers C while moving with the dials and dur-- ing the time that the containers are not actually gripped and heldby the gripping devicesv 24.

'Each backing plate 25 is provided with vertically angled ears 50' at the upper and lowerportions of its side edges, which ears serve asfulcrum or pivot points. for the movable plates 26 as hereinafter explained. I 1

As is best shown in Figure 6,. the two movable plates 26' of each gripping device 24 are urged to a position fiat against the backing plate25, i. e., to lie alongside each other in a single plane, by springs 21 mounted upon studs 51 threaded in the backin plate 25. and extending through slots-52 (Figure 5;) in the movable plates. The inner ends of the springs 51 bear upon the outer surfaces of the movable plates 26 near their abutting edges, while the outer ends of the springs bear. upon washers backed by. cushion members 513 which extend past the outer end of'each stud 51. Twosprings are ordinarily provided for each movable plate 26, and-as illustrated in Figure 3, the springs associated: with each plate 2 6 are. vertically-"spaced.

Adjacent their outer edges the movable plates 26 are provided with threaded apertures, which 7 V 7 receivethe inner ends of the grippingi arms 28. It is found desirable to'equip onbacking plate of a pair-with two gripping arms 28, one extending from the extreme upper and lower portions of the plate, :while the other movable plate-is provided-with a single gripping arm positioned '7 intermediate-the gripping arms of the'coacting Thisarrangement, in conjunction with the use of vertically offset gripping arms 28, enables the gripping devices to handlearticles of different speed. A I

heights; For example, an article only tall I enoughto contact with the lower left-handistop' 53 of Figure 3 would be contacted byone; arm 28 and pressed against that stop 53 and the lowerright-hand stop 53' so as to be'firmly held 7 in the desired position; The fact that the gripping devices canrhandle article of greatly vary ing diameters Will be clear from Figure 7. Because of these factors, the conveyor 20 can handle articles of numerous sizes and shapes with no adjustments whatever.

The'gripper operating element 29 is preferably formed'of a link chain which moves about sprocket wheels 55 in'the manner shown in Figure 2. It

will:be observed that the chain 29 moves ina plane normal to the'plane in which the gripping conveyor 29 moves. The vertical shafts 56 which carry the sprocket wheels 55'are J'ournalled in a casting 51, best shown inFigure 10, and casting 51 also supports a small sprocket 58 about which the sprocket chain 29 moves.- The small sprocket 58 ,is carried by'a stud 59 which is adjustable toward and from the adjacent large sprocket: 55 so as to serve as a take-up element. As best shown in Figure 2, the supporting casting 51 is mounted upon a rod 60 threadedly secured to ears 6| of thebase or frame of the machine so that the positionof gripper operating element 29 may be adjusted'longitudinally of the path of movement of the conveyor 20.

Gripper operating element 29 has certainofiits links providedwith outwardly projecting'r'ounded lugs 30 which are spaced by a distance corresponding to the distance between the centers of the grippers 24 on conveyor 20. Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the lugs 30 are adapted to project into slots 68 (Figure '7) in the backing plates of the gripping devices 24 to engage the rear faces of the abutting portions of the movable plates 26 so as to turn the plates away from each other in the manner shown in Figure 7. As also r 8 The gripper operating .element 29-'is2driveri solely by the engagement of its lugs 30' withi-the slots 68 in the backing plates25. "Thi's'arrangea ment insures that the gripping conveyor andith gripper operating element will move-at the same It is necessary that aninfeed :dia1-such-"as 23 and an outfeed dialsu'chas 32 :be driv'en iin' exact synchronism with the-gripper c'onveyorZlLi How-7 ever, if the gripperconveyorifi is relatively long and a dial is positioned intermediate its length V and driven through rigid 'shafting' from: the same" point at which the'conveyor-is' drive'ri; a-n-y stretching or slackening of the conveyor 28 would result in the dial being out of 'synchronism with' the portion of the conveyor moving adjacentth'e d1al2 For this reason, it is desirable to drive an infeed or outfeed dial from the portion of the conveyor 28 immediately adjacent the dial; An arrange ment for drivin'g'a 'dial or'similar mechanismxiri this manner is'illustrated in Figures 9 to 1111 -2:

Referring to Figure 9, a' large sprocket'lwheel G2, suitably'journalled in the stationaryiuframe; engages the upper run of grippingiconveyonifl at a point adjacent the'dial' 23 as:indicated;in: Figure 1." The shaft 63 which carries sprocket 62 also carries a pinion 64 which is geared, through an intermediate 'pinion, with" a"pinionw55, keyed to a sleeve or hollow shaft element 66, journalled. in the frame of the machine. -'S1e'eve..;6i6 has a plate 6'! keyed to its outerend and; as bestshown I in Figure '11, plate 6T'is'provided with two-trunz-t shown in Figures 3 and 4, hardened ball members 6! 'may be mounted in peened recesses in the plates 26 and with which the lugs may contact. The outer edges of the movable plates 26 will rock uponthe ears 5!] at the side edges of the backing plates and against the pressure of the springs 2'1. As is shown at the right-hand portion of Figure 2, after an operating lug 38 has moved out of contact with a'gripping device 15, the springs 21 of that gripping device will urge the movable plates toward the backing plate to bring the gripping arms 28 into engagement with the outer portion of an article and hold. it against thelcushion members53.x a

nions 68 in which a short Shaftx69 carrying aworm gear 18 is journalledi 'Wormi-gear".Hlerigages a worm wheel 12 which has'a rotatablefit on a stub shaft 13' which extends backthrOughthe hollow shaft 66. Stubsh'aft 'l'3'hasapirr1i14: extending diametrically therethrough outwardly; of worm wheel 12] "A housing 15-: 'iS SECUIB dFtO the plate 61 and this housing carries a spri'ngilli whichlbears on a ring TI freely mountedon the outer end of, shaft l3. The inner face of ring-Tl: bears against pin 14 to thereby hold stub "shaft 13 inwardly or to the left in Figure 10. In such position; the ends of pin 14 will engage diametri-- cally spaced notches 18 in the hub 12a of worm wheel 12. Obviously, so long asthe ends or p'in: M are held in the notches i8, stub shaft 73 will be rotated with the worm wheel l2;- 5' 1 'It will be noted that the engagement"of:.th'e worm gear '50 with the worm wheel [2 is simply :a' key or locked connection serving to cause wormwheel 12 to rotate with plate 61. That is,worm gear 10 does not normally turn on itsown' axis to'drive worm" wheel 12 but revolves around the axis of. worm wheel 12.

Stub shaft 13 has a collar so secured to its inner end by a pin 8| and collar 8il is'key'dto an aligned stub shaft 82. Stub'shaft82 carries" a bevel gear 83 at its inner end which meshes with a bevel gear 84 carried at the lower end of the shaft 85 which carries the, infeeddial 23. .The

spiral timing device 22 is driven from the stub shaft are driven, isspaced from the axis ofthe I dial shaft by arelatively short distance which depends solely upon the space requiredfo r' the train-of gears including the pinions 64 and 65. rs-snubs clear from'this-that'the dial ishaft as will-rotate" exactly in synchr onism' with the adjacent portion of the grippingbfonveyor thecause it isdriven-fromthat portion. I

The outfeed'dial 32- will be driven from the gripping conveyor 2D"-by' a mechanism identical with that disclosed in Figure and described above, except that this "mechanism will not require the extension-"shaft- 86- and the .trainof ears 8 to drive a spiraltimingdevice 221' heretofore used to respectivelyperform the lift- 7 ing and downwardconveying. functions. V As shown'fin Figure lfi, a pair of split hanger brackets 95 and 96 sup'port'the dial drivingm'e'ch- 'ari'isrn including sprocket --62; and dial l23 'orl dial '32 the "brackets 85: and 96 being suitably clamp'ed aboutthehorizontally extending tubes 4'l; By;

slightly loosening the clampingmeansofthe brackets 85- nd 9'6, the latter can be moved V In the event that acan orother article be'comes iarfnmed adjacent thetiming device -2-2 cr the-in- "feed dial 23or atthe'momentof its transfer from dial 23 to a grippi ng device 24, the rotation of the timing device orfdia-l "wilhibe impeded.

This will preventthe free rotation of the stub shaft lit-with the 'resultthat, worm-wheel 12-,

driven from -gripping conveyorilll, will rotate on stub 'shaft 13'to carry'thebevellednotches 18 in itshub'lZa frorn' bene'ath' the pin 1'4 fixed to shaft T3.- "The actionfof worm whe'el'hub 12a in running past pin "will ,forcejpinfld and stub shaft 13 to the right in Figure l0. against the action of the spring 1-6; The collar}? pinned to stub shaft 13 will likewise move to the right and along the,

12 to normal position, i. je.,,with Iitshub notch 1-8 beneath pin l4, thereby re-establishing the proper timing or thedriving mechanism. a

'Iheoutfeeddialj32 would be restored to normal position with respect to conveyor-2D in the same manner .as has beendescribed above in connection with the Figure IOstructureQ The description set forth above as to the manner in which the gripping conveyor 20 and the gripper operating element cooperate will make it clear that these elements can be used together as described, at any point along a gripper conveyor 20. That is, if it is desired to move cans from the lower story of a plant to an upper story to be filled, and then return them to the lower story, a run of the conveyor 20 on the lower story would have an infeed dial 23 and an outfeed dial 32 associated therewith, together with an operating element 29. Cans could thereby be placed on the gripping conveyor 20 by the infeed dial 23 and the gripping conveyor would move them to the upper story, At this point a run of gripper conveyor 20 could be provided with another infeed and outfeed dial and operating element 29. The outfeed dial on the upper story would remove cans from conveyor 20 in conjunction with operating element 29 and the cans could be moved to a filling machine. After filling they would move to the infeed. dial of the upper story and would be placed upon the return run of conveyor 20 to be taken down to the outfeed dial of the lower story. In other words, the single conveyor element 2!] with two operating elements 29 at the proper points can be used as a conveyor to carry articles upwardly and then return them downwardly, thereby replacing an endless conveyor of the drag type and a chute such as have been lengthwise ofthe run of gripper conveyor 20, to make such corrections as may be z'necessary with lhg pper cenveyorjy regard to the position of a dial with respect to r m timing April 8; 11942. 1

and handling apparatus sjerial 'No} 438,163, filed g'rae terminology used in the specification is for the purpose or -description" and not of illustration, the scope of the' 'invent" being"indicated ,by' the claims, I

'Iclaimr' In. anflarticle gripping means for conveyors, a plate adapted to'be secured-to the'conveyor, a pair of plates positioned on one'face of said'fixed plate for pivotal movement with respect t the latter, each of said'pivoted plates having a grip-' ping arm extending outwardly therefrom, the

ends of the arms being bent toward each other, studs extending fromsaid fixed plate and through apertures in the pivoted' plates', the outer ends of said studs serving as stops against which articles will be'pressed by. said gripping arms, and resilient means between said movable plates and the outer ends of said studsto urge said'movable plates against said fixed plate' I, 2'; In an article gripping means for conveyors, a plate adapted to be secured to the conveyor, a

pair of plates positioned on one face. of'sa-id fixed plate for pivotal movement with respect to the latter, each of said'pivoted plates having a gripping arm extending outwardly therefrom, the ends of the arms being ibent toward each other, studs extending from said fixed plate and through apertures in the pivoted plates,'the outer ends of said; studs serving steps against which articles will be pressed by said gripping arms, and

resilient means between said movableplates and.

the outer ends ,of said studs-to urge said movable plates against said fixed plate, said fixed plate having forwardly projecting ears at its lateral edges on which said movable plates may pivot.

3. In an article handling apparatus, a moving element, a plate fixed on said element, a pair of plates movably carried by said fixed plate, resilient meansto normally urge said movable plates to lie parallel with said fixed plate, gripping arms carried by said movable plates, and means moving with said element to contact said movable plates to position them at an angle to said fixed plate and thereby move said gripping arms apart. a 4. In an article. handling apparatus, a moving element, a plate fixed on said element, a pair of plates movably carried by said fixedplate, resilient means to normally urge said movable plates to lie parallel with said fixed plate, gripping arms carried by said movable plates, saidfixedplate having" an aperture therein, and means to enter the aperture in said fixed plate and contact said movable plates to swing them at an angle to each other to thereby spread said gripping arms.

5. In an article handling apparatus, a moving element, a plate fixed on said element, a plate movably carried by said fixed plate, an'article gripping element projecting from one face of said a a device 22is of the'type described-in my application for 1 Article weighing r 1,1 fixed plate and past saidmovable'plate, an artiele engaging element projecting outwardly; from one (face of said; movable plate :to be opposite; said ifirstenamed gripping element, means to urgesaid "movable plate to a position'parallel to said fi xed 1 platejand in which its grippingelementis spaeed 'aipre'determined distance from; said; other; griping element, and means movable inadirection imove said movable plate so that the gripping elements of th two. lat siwil b s rea fu i v -t n t n article handling apparatus of the charg j V erfi'deserihed in claim 5 wherein the movable. I :plv. te i m vinsimea s s ar d/ element jm vin 'with sa d m vin elementq An articl handling apparatus 8. In an" article handling apparatus, a moving element, a plate fixed on said element, a -pairof plates movahlycarried bysaid fixed plate, means 13031 75 taid movable'plates to li e pai'allel with said fixed'plate and with their OppOsJededges'in a; predetermined' spaged relationship} gripping i arms carried by saidmovable plates, and means ubstantially atright angles to said-fixed plate a ser b 'dvm cleimrfirwh n s id fis ip i, nia t ur re a d, se 'mOYeP -I t moving means movesthrough :theape'fture.

ete eeeo s first plate toswing am pivoted plates upon the (if the hatin a direction substantially 'atlright angles to said fixed plate'andihrou h. he aperture inthelat- --t r to; win V-saicl pivoted p t t iite pe tato h fi ed. pla o t a the rip n ents-10f the two plates willb spread further apart.

- an arti leih'a d e ap ra a movi a ve e en a 'plate ixed t d e m n a air. of .plat e pivotally mounted on saidfixed p meansto urge said; pivoted plates to a positl on parallel with said fixed plate grippingarms-oarfled y d Q Y fid rn e slan means mqv b in a direction substantially at right anglestosaid latter' and thereby (spread apart said gripping arms; r

o 13..An article handlin g'apparatus ofytl e har+ acter describedin'cilaitjn 12 wherein the means tomove the pivoted plateis oarried by an'elev .mentmov-ing with said'moving element.

' .1 14. An, article mnming'ap aratus f the har actefd'escribd in claim 12 wherein said fixed plate has-an apertutethereinand the means to move" said pivoted plate moves through the aperture. a '15. Inian" fla plate adapted to be secured to the conveyonjfa t -.mpvable" ina direction substantially at right an gleg to said first plate to move theopposed edges of said rmovable plates further apart andthereby spread apart said'gripping arms.

;9...A'n articlehandling apparatu o the ener- V aoterdescribed' m'cnim 8 wherein the movable plate'nioving means is earriedby' an element movingwith said element.

.10. An article handlingapparatus of the charaoteridesqribedin claim it whereinsaidfixed plate has en aperture thereinfandisaid movable ele 1 men met anere ethrqu t aperture; t;; lea e i i l d ihsta er ws e' ei element, a plate fixed on said-element; a plate eti pineel men Pm 'e se ies fix ei and; past said movable plate; an article engaging element projeotin'g outwardly from said 7 movable 1 plate tobebpposite said first-named gripping ele}:

tiori paralleltosaid fixed plate, sai djfi d Plate imme-acme h e n em; een q ebe plate positioned on' one face-ofisaid fixed'plate iorlpivotal movement withjrespect to the latter, said pivoted plate having a gripping element ex-i tending outwardly therefrom, a', stud extending from said fixed plate andthrough an aperture in the pivoted plate, the outer'end of said stud serve ingjasia stop, ,againsti whicharticles will be t pressed -by said gripping element;'and resilient means between said movable plate andthe outer endgof said stud to urge said movable'plate against said'fixed plate. '7 Q i 6- n. a artic dnne p aramisla m viri element, a plate'fix edbn said element,'"'af plate movahly carried by said fixedf plate; resilient means oi rmal y u sai ova le. a e tdlie paralletwith said fixed plate, a gripping element carried by said movable'pla't and means mov in with said element to contact said. movable plate to position it at an a ngle to saidflxedplate V and the b moveo id er pp ne g lem n "aw it from said fixedpla te.

articlegripping means for conveyors; 

